Silicone breast implants are used in nearly 300,000 breast augmentation and 100,000 breast reconstruction operations annually in the United States.
Local complications include rupture, tissue hardening, pain, inflammation, and infection.
Implants are not intended to last a lifetime and that many patients will require additional surgery.
Studies have not linked systemic disease with silicone breast implants.
Large studies reveal no excess risk for any cancer diagnoses including brain, cervical/vulvar, lung, or breast cancer.
There is presently overwhelming evidence to support the safety of silicone breast implants.
To date there have not been any concrete or evidence-based studies or peer-reviewed data concerning the formation of a silicone implant illness.
For more than 60 years, there has been controversy as to the safety of these devices, with more than 400 reports on various health conditions in association with breast implants.
In 1992, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration determined that silicone implant manufacturers had not provided enough data to adequately address consumer concerns, and silicone implants were removed from the market.
Extensive data refutes any association between these devices and an increased incidence of breast cancer.
Many studies have shown that these patients have a lower incidence of primary breast cancer, with a risk reduction of between 10 and 50 percent.
There is no excess risk of cancer of any type in women with silicone breast implants.
Large studies reveal no excess risk for any cancer diagnoses including brain, cervical/vulvar, lung, or breast cancer.
Reports have suggested a possible link between anaplastic lymphoma kinase–negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) and breast implants.
There is no association between breast implants and connective tissue disease.
Implant rupture does not place patients at increased risk of developing connective tissue disease.
It has been reported that women with breast implants had a higher self-reported rate of psychotropic medication use that included both antidepressants and anxiolytics.
There is no association between breast implants and depression.
Suicide rate for women with breast implants is not higher than the national norm.
A Danish breast implant mortality study, showed that women undergoing cosmetic breast implantation had a higher prevalence of previous hospitalization for psychiatric illness compared with those undergoing both reduction mammaplasty and other types of cosmetic surgery.
There is no correlation of neurological symptoms or diseases with the presence of breast implants.
No adverse health outcomes reported in children born to mothers with silicone breast implants.
There is overwhelming evidence to support the safety of silicone breast implants.